Workers are on strike nationwide Thursday at the $2 trillion company

(WASHINGTON) – The Teamsters will launch the largest strike against Amazon in U.S. history on Thursday, December 19th at 6 a.m. EST. The nationwide action follows Amazon’s repeated refusal to comply with the law and negotiate with the thousands of Amazon workers who have organized with the Teamsters.

“If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed. We have given Amazon a clear deadline to come to the table and do the right thing for our members. They ignored it,” Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien said. “These greedy executives have had every chance to show decency and respect for the people who make their obscene profits possible. Instead, they have pushed workers to their limits and are now paying the price. This strike is headed their way.”

Workers will join DBK4’s picket line in New York City; DGT8 in Atlanta; DFX4, DAX5 and DAX8 in Southern California; DCK6 in San Francisco; and DIL7 in Skokie, Ill. Amazon Teamsters at other facilities are ready to join them.

Local Teamsters unions are also setting up primary picket lines at hundreds of Amazon fulfillment centers across the country. Amazon warehouse workers and drivers without collective bargaining agreements have the legal right to respect these picket lines by withholding their labor.

“What we’re doing is historic,” said Leah Pensler, a warehouse worker at DCK6 in San Francisco. “We are fighting a vicious anti-union campaign and we will win.”

Amazon is the second largest company on the Fortune 500 list. Although it’s worth it more than $2 trillionthe company doesn’t pay its workers enough to make ends meet.

“Amazon is one of the largest and richest companies in the world,” said Gabriel Irizarry, a driver at DIL7 in Skokie, Illinois. “They talk a lot about taking care of their employees, but when it comes down to it, Amazon doesn’t respect us and our right to bargain for better working conditions and wages. We can’t even afford to pay our bills.”

Nearly 10,000 Amazon workers mobilized a movement and joined the Teamsters. They fight for higher wages, better benefits and safer working conditions.

“I’ve seen the Teamsters win big battles,” said Dia Ortiz, a staffer at DBK4 in New York. “We are ready to do whatever it takes to win this game.”

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.